Elena Potenza

Appointed 22 January 2024

Elena is Managing Director of her own strategic advisory and consultancy business in infrastructure, servicing both private and public sectors.

Elena has over 35 years of experience in the construction, property, transport, and infrastructure industries, as both Executive and Non-Executive Director. Elena commenced her career as a Site Engineer and progressed to Senior Executive positions across major listed property and construction companies including Lendlease Engineering (Abigroup Contractors) and Leighton Contractors (now CPB Contractors).

Elena has extensive experience in the development and transaction management of a multi-billion portfolio in major civil infrastructure projects throughout Australia, including Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and structuring International Joint Ventures. Experience spans both Private and Public sectors from Client, Developer, Contractor, and Asset Management perspectives.

Elena is an experienced Board member and has held several key Board appointments, including the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), NSW Government Advisory Council for the Minister for Women, Roads Australia, Taylor Construction, International Advisory Board of Ghella S.p.A., and Non-Executive Director of TBH.  She also represented organisations on numerous JV and project Boards throughout Australia and is a regular guest speaker at key conferences on Construction and Infrastructure, or Women in Leadership.

Elena was awarded the CBRE Business Woman of the Year Award – NAWIC, she was appointed Fellow of Australian Institute of Building (AIB) and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Oceania (RICS).

Elena holds Bachelor of Building (Hons) and Master of Commerce (Land Economy) degrees. She has also undertaken Executive and Leadership programs at INSEAD (France) and Stanford University Graduate School of Business.